


Foundling Of Ameland

by AppleScruff



Category: Jonas Brothers
Genre: Alternate Universe - Non-Famous, Father Kevin, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-20
Updated: 2020-02-18
Packaged: 2020-09-19 06:43:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 14,834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20326810
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AppleScruff/pseuds/AppleScruff
Summary: Kevin Jonas doesn’t mind that he lives alone. All he needs to be happy is the sound of the ocean, the feel of the wind in his hair and the taste of salt on his lips. But when he finds an abandoned baby on the beach, he realizes that maybe he does want something more from life.





	1. Chapter 1

Kevin Jonas can feel the salty air of the ocean caress his face and blow through his hair when he steps out of his house. He quickly stick out his tongue to taste the air. Is quit salty, which means there has been a storm on the ocean. There’ll probably be lot of things on the beach for Kevin to pick up. It’s going to be a good day.   
  
Kevin readjusts the wooden basket he has strapped to his back and when he’s sure it’s secure he starts to make his way down to the beach. The basket on his back is made by Kevin himself from twigs he had found in Segbroek forest the last time he went there. It looks really good and the young man is really proud of it.   
  
Kevin has halfway made it over the dune when he bumps into Kyley. Kyley is the only one in the village who’s nice to Kevin when she doesn’t need to be. The rest of the village is only nice because they have no choice, but the brunette seems to really like Kevin. She doesn’t seem bother by his quirkiness and solitude.   
  
“Hey Kevin. How are you today?” Kyley asks as she walks up to him with a smile on her face. Her brown locks blow in all directions and she tries in vain to keep them from blowing in her face.   
  
“I’m alright.” Kevin gives the girl a smile in return. “There was a storm on the ocean last night so there’ll be plenty for me to pick up.”   
  
Kyley chuckles at this and says “It always amazes me how you know that it has stormed on the ocean.”   
  
“No, don’t tell me.” Kyley holds up a hand as a sign for him to stop talking when he opens his mouth to tell her how he knows. “You mustn’t tell me your secret. You have to leave us mere mortals guessing.”   
  
“It’s really nothing special.” Kevin tries not to sound like he’s faking his modesty but he fears he’s failing miserably.   
  
“Maybe not to you, but to us it is.” Kyley looks at him sternly, as if she dares him to say otherwise. To Kevin it seems is if she tries to convince him he’s special and the twenty-four-year-old isn’t sure he’s happy with Kyley thinking about him as special. He doesn’t want to be special, he has enough of being special.   
  
Not wanting to chase away his only friend in the village by getting mad at her Kevin smiles at the brunette and says, “If you say so.”   
  
“Alright.” Kyley’s smile breaks through like the sun on a cloudy day. “But I’m afraid I have to go now. These pastries won’t deliver themselves.”   
  
It isn’t until then that Kevin sees the familiar basket in Kyley’s hand. Kyley is the delivery maid of the local bakery, she brings the whole village their daily bread, including Kevin Jonas, the fool on the hill.   
  
Kyley walks past him and turns around to wave at him. “Good hunting, by the way. I hope you’ll be able to find something precious.”   
  
Five minutes later Kevin has made it to the beach and when he sees all the things laying around on the beach his eyes begin to sparkle. Usually when so many things have stranded on the beach there are one of two things that are really valuable.   
  
Before Kevin can take another step he’s startled when suddenly the wind makes a weird noise. It sounds like a baby crying. Kevin has never heard the wind make that kind of noise before.   
  
When Kevin has decided he must have imagined it and he takes another step he hears it again. It really _does_ sound like a baby. Would someone really be that cold-hearted to dump a baby on the beach?   
  
The young man searches the beach for the baby, but when he doesn’t see it anywhere he realizes the baby can be anywhere. Even though he hates to hear the baby cry he knows it’s the only way to find the baby, so he sends a silent prayer in the hope that the infant starts to cry again.   
  
And it does and unlike before it doesn’t stop crying after only a few seconds. It is as if the child knows the young man is looking for him and it wants to be found.   
  
Kevin is now able to tell that the crying comes from somewhere in between the things that have stranded on the beach. When Kevin suddenly realizes the baby has probably stranded on the beach as well he’s gripped by sudden panic and he starts to run towards the ocean. He really hopes he’s not too late. 

When Kevin has made it to the coastline he at once sees a basket in the middle of a heap of seaweed and the noise and the movement of the basket tells Kevin that this basket contains the baby.   
  
The twenty-four-year-old quickly makes his way to the open basket, not caring if he tramples the things on the beach. The life of the baby is much more precious than anything laying on the beach.   
  
When Kevin has reached the basket he falls to his knees at once and pushes the blue blanket laying inside it aside so he can see if the baby is alright. The baby stops crying immediately and looks at the young man with big and curious eyes. Kevin is immediately struck by the blue of the baby’s eyes. They’re as blue as the ocean behind them.   
  
“Were you making all that noise?” Kevin asks the baby with a smile and he lifts it from the basket. The baby doesn’t make a sound while Kevin inspects the baby, searching for any signs that something is wrong.   
  
When he doesn’t find anything he looks the baby in the eyes again and says, “What happened to you then? How did you get here.”   
  
Kevin decides to put the baby back in the basket and when he’s sure the baby is comfortable he picks the basket up and starts walking back to his house. Even though Kevin doesn’t understand how the baby got there, there is no way he’s leaving the child behind. No matter what the rest of the village will think.   
  
He decides that the first thing he’s going to do when he gets home is call his best friend Shelby. The blond has always been good with children and she’ll know what to do. 


	2. Chapter 2

Kevin walks into the police station, his curls in disarray from the turbulent winds outside. It seems the storm raging on the ocean the day before is making its way to Ameland. Kevin knows that the storm will reach the mainland tonight and that a lot of women will be praying for their husbands, son or brother’s safe return.   
  
Almost all of the boys born in Ameland grow up to be sailors. They go on their first voyage at the tender age of 18 and only stop fishing when they have to because of their health. This all has to do with the fact that Ameland is dependent on its fishers. They bring in all the money.   
  
One of the reasons why the people from the village don’t like him is because he isn’t a sailor. He’s a beachcomber, someone who doesn’t fit the norm and doesn’t bring in money for the village.   
  
With a sigh Kevin walks up to the front desk of the police station, ignoring the harsh look of the girl behind the desk. He is used to it.   
  
“Good morning” Kevin says with a smile, still trying to be polite. If other people are impolite doesn’t mean you have to be too. “I found a baby on the beach yesterday and I was wondering if someone has filed a missing person report for a baby.”   
  
Even though his gut says the baby was left on the beach on purpose he still hopes he’s wrong and that its parents have left the baby on the beach accidently. It’s true that the people of the village have always treated him and his brothers with contempt because their father hadn’t been born in the village, he still hasn’t lost his trait to see the best in people.   
  
“So, you’ve found a baby?” the brunette behind the desk says with one eyebrow raised as if she doesn’t believe him.   
  
“Yes Miss. Locato, I have.” Kevin knows it’s going to take a while to convince the cop Kevin knows so well. Even though Jamie Locato keeps denying it she and Kevin had played together when they were little before her mother found it and had forbidden her daughter to ‘ever play with that Jonas boy again.’ Kevin had really missed her and didn’t have someone to play with apart from his brothers for years.   
  
“Are you sure you didn’t steal it?”   
  
“Of course not!” Kevin can’t keep the indignation out of his voice. He can’t believe how she can ask that. As if he’s someone who would steal a baby. “And even if I _did_ steal it, why should I go to the police?”   
  
“Because you feel guilty for stealing it” Jamie says with an angry edge to her voice. “But eh, what do I know. Who knows what goes on in the head of a weirdo like you.”   
  
Even though Kevin is used to be called a weirdo, it hurts when it’s coming from Jamie, someone who he once considered a friend. Her mother really did a number on her.   
  
“If you’re sure you didn’t steal it I can write a rapport that you have found a baby and send it to other police stations.” Kevin can tell that Jamie doesn’t want to help him, but that she doesn’t have a choice. Kevin is just happy she didn’t send him away.   
  
“You can go now.” Jamie waves at the young man as if he’s a bothersome bug. “I’ll send someone up to that house of yours when we have some news.”   
  
Kevin tries to hide his hurt behind a smile and when Jamie just glares at him he turns around and walks out of the police station. 


	3. Chapter 3

Kevin is warming up formula for the baby. Even though Kevin doesn´t know much of babies he does know they drink formula.   
  
Today is the third day that the baby is with Kevin and he´s beginning to get the hang of it. His friend Shelby, who is really good with children, had giving him some pointers that the young man is finding very useful.   
  
Speaking of Shelby, she´s coming over today. She really wants to see the baby. She can be here any moment. At first Kevin had offered to pick her up at the station but Shelby had refused, knowing how the villagers treated her friend.   
  
Shelby has been such a good friend of Kevin for many years. He met the blond when Kevin and the rest of the family moved from Ameland to the big city.   
  
Kevin had been surprised at Shelby´s kindness, used to the rude glares and the dirty remarks of the villagers. Shelby toke him and his brothers under her wing and taught them how to live in the city.   
  
It is through Shelby that Kevin met his ex-wife Lexi. A girl Kevin had been married to for five years. The first three years had been fantastic while the last two had been hell.   
  
Just as Kevin turns off the stove because the formula is ready the doorbell rings. With a smile if excitement Kevin grabs the basket with the baby in it and walks up to the front door to open it. He can’t wait to see Shelby again. It has been months since they last have seen each other.   
  
When Kevin opens the door he’s greeted by a flash of blond hair as Shelby moves to leap into Kevin’s arms. But when she sees the basket he’s holding with the baby in it she immediately drops to her knees and starts to coo at the baby.   
  
“Aren’t you just the cutes ever” Shelby says with a grin as she tickles his tummy. The baby squirms and laughs. The sound loud and clear, making Kevin’s heart soar. It’s the first time Kevin has heard the boy laugh.   
  
All the baby has been doing of the past three days is crying or looking at Kevin with his big, ocean-blue eyes. He had to find out how Shelby is able to make him laugh. He wants to hear that laugh more often.   
  
“He really is precious” Shelby says with a big grin as she stands up again. “Have you come up with a name yet?”   
  
“I’ve been thinking about it, but I don’t seem to be able to come up with a name that really fits him.” For some reason Kevin has been feeling guilty about not finding the boy a fitting name. For some reason it makes him feel like he failed the child. “Do you know a good name?”   
  
“What about Dylan. It means great tide. His eyes tell me he needs an oceanic name,” Shelby says with a smile. Her eyes return to the baby in the basket and he seems to smile back. To Kevin it seems as if small baby understands better what’s happening around him than any other baby.   
  
"Dylan…It sound really good. Okay, Dylan it is.” Kevin is really relieved the boy finally has a name. It really didn’t feel right to give him no name.   
  
“Why don’t you come in. We have a lot of catching-up to do.” Kevin steps aside so Shelby can enter.   
  
Before Kevin shuts the door he hears a shift in the wind. It’s a really sudden change and Kevin doesn’t know what to think of it. Kevin has never seen the wind change this quickly. He just hopes it will not cause freak weather. Freak weather the villagers will undoubtedly blame on him. They are superstitious enough for that.   
  
With a sigh Kevin closes the door, hoping for the best. 


	4. 4

Christine´s head is in her hands while she tries to block out the sound of all of the people in the room talking at the same time. It´s complete chaos in her office and she has to try her best not to start yelling at them to be quiet.   
  
Instead she waits for the villages of Ameland, present in the mayor´s office, to stop talking by themselves. She knows this may take a while, but there´s nothing else for her to do.   
  
“It really is an outrage” a voice suddenly sounds above the noise and Christine recognizes it as belonging to Jeannie, a mother of four and a devout Christian. “No baby should live under the same roof as a man without a mother. It’s unnatural.”   
  
“Especially since it’s Kevin Jonas we’re talking about.” Claudia says, backing her friend. “All he can do is corrupt the baby. Just like his father did him.”   
  
The man living on top of the dune, on his own, has always been a sore point for the villagers. Even though the mayor understand where they’re coming from she had tried to over bridge the gap between the villagers and Kevin, but she had been unsuccessful. It is as if the villagers don’t want to understand Kevin.   
  
“And what if you take the baby from Kevin,” Kyley says from the remote corner she’s sitting in with an angry look on her face and her arms crossed. “What do you want to do with the baby?”   
  
“Place him with a couple without children of course” Jeannie says as if she can’t believe the younger woman would even ask. “And wait for his parent to collect him.”   
  
“But what if he wants to stay with Kevin?” Kyley says with a raised eyebrow, challenging Jeannie.   
  
“I doubt the baby has grown attached to that man in only a week,” Jeannie scoffs as if it’s the most preposterous thing she has ever heard. “And by the way, where do you got the idea young lady that you have anything to say about this? It isn’t as if you have children of your own.”   
  
“No, but I know Kevin better than all of you and I say to all you - the child is in capable hands. Kevin is a really gentle soul and he will take good care of the baby.” Kyley glares at the people in the room, one at the time, daring them to contradict her.   
  
“He isn’t gentle at all,” Claudia suddenly yells and all eyes are suddenly on her. “I heard he used to be married but that his wife left him because he hit her.”   
  
“That’s a lie. Kevin wouldn’t hurt a fly,” Kyley yells back as she jumps from her chair. “These are just stupid rumors.”   
  
“I see he’s got you fooled with his innocent act.” Claudia looks at the brunette with mock pity. “He’s a manipulative, horrible little man.”   
  
Kyley launches forward, her fist connecting with Claudia’s jaw leaving a rapidly growing bruise.   
  
“Don’t you dare call Kevin that ever again,” Kyley says through clinched teeth and with blazing eyes. All Claudia does is look at the brunette in front of her with her hand on her throbbing jaw and a look of surprise on her face. The villagers have always known Kyley as being a relatively peaceful human being, they have never seen her punch someone before.   
  
“You know what. I’ll send a social worker over to Mr. Jonas’ house and we’ll see what he has to say.” Christine thinks it’s best for the peace in the village to give in to the villagers demands, but this way she’ll still respect Kevin’s rights. Christine isn’t going to take the baby away from Kevin if there’s no reason to do so.   
  
“But Jonas mustn’t know about the social worker. Otherwise he’s going to present himself better than he is.” This time it’s Jeannie talking, who doesn’t flinch away when Kyley glares at her.   
  
“I suppose you’re right, Mrs. Magnum” Christine has to admit with a sigh. She hates it, but Jeannie is right in some degree. It’s better if Kevin can convince the villagers he can take care of the baby without them accusing him of manipulating the social working into liking him.   
  
“It’s decided then. A social worker will be send to Mr. Jonas’ house without telling him about it. I hope all of you have peace with my decision. The meeting is dismissed.”


	5. 5

A young man is making his way down the small path between the dunes. The weather is calm and sunny and a lot of boats are out on the sea. The dark-haired man can see them slowly disappear over the horizon in search for fish.   
  
As he had been born in the city and stayed there most of his life, this is the first time he sees the sea. What had stricken him the moment he had laid eyes on the blue mass was how far you could look. He had made a gasp of surprise when he discovered he could see the country on the other side of the sea. He had never though that would be possible.   
  
The wind picks-up a little bit and the young man’s short, black hair is ruffled by the wind. His cheeks color with the coldness of the wind. The wind reminds him once again even though the sun has come out it’s still early spring. The winter hasn’t completely left yet.   
  
The man picks-up his pace and slips his hand that isn’t holding the briefcase into the pocket of his coat. Even though the twenty-four-year old really enjoys taken in the sight of the sea and the boat on it he has somewhere to be.   
  
He’s on his way to Paul Kevin Jonas II, a twenty-four-year old male who is looking after a baby of an unknown age that he found on the beach. Nobody has claimed the baby yet.   
  
When the young social worker had arrived on the village this morning he had been asked to drop by the mayor before going to the lonely house, just outside the village. The young man had been surprised at the invitation, but he had accepted.   
  
The mayor had welcomed him to her village and told him the reason why she had invited him. She asked him to drop by because she thought he should know why he had come. She had told him about Kevin and the difficult relationship he had with the village.   
  
It had surprised the city dweller how tense that relationship was. He was surprised at how superstitious the villagers were. That they still attribute their bad luck to someone who’s only fault was that he didn’t fit the norm. These kind of situations would never occur in the city, of that the twenty-four-year old is sure.   
  
The mayor had explained that she had chosen to ask a social worker from the city to conduct the investigation because she thought someone from the city could best form an unbiased opinion on Kevin and the baby.   
  
The dark-haired man is shaken from his thoughts when he suddenly notices he has reached his destination. He’s standing in front of a small house. Even though it’s small, he can see Kevin is doing pretty well for himself. Apparently a lot of valuable stuff washes up on Ameland if Kevin can afford paying this house by only combing the beach.   
  
The social worker knocks softly on the door, nor wanting to alarm the man inside the house. He doesn’t really like it that Kevin doesn’t know about his visit, knowing how confused he’ll probably be. When people are confused they tend to answer questions with the wrong answers and that would be bad for Kevin. It may even cause him to lose the baby.   
  
The dark-haired man doesn’t have to wait long for the door to open and his green eyes are greeted with the sight of a young man with curly hair with a baby in his arms. The baby has big blue eyes that seem to try to determine if it can trust him or not. He has never seen a baby look at a grown-up like that before.   
  
“Are you Paul Kevin Jonas, the second?” the young man asks with a smile wanting to set Kevin on ease.   
  
“Yes that’s me. Why?” Kevin looks at the man in front of him with suspicion and the young man can’t really blame him.   
  
“I’m Ákos Savage. I’m a social worker. I came here to look how you and the baby are doing” Akos says with what he hopes is a friendly tone.   
  
“Did villagers send you?” Kevin asks with narrowed eyes.   
  
“No, the mayor send me.” Akos thinks it’s best if he only tells a part of the truth. Kevin probably knows the mayor is on his side, so it’s for the best of he thinks Akos is send by her. “Can I come in?”   
  
“Of course” Kevin says with a friendlier voice and gives the dark-haired man a small smile. “If you’re send by the mayor you’re more than welcome.   
  
Even though Akos has only just met him Kevin seems to be a really nice guy. He can tell the young man really cares for the baby in the way he holds it. Akos really hopes he’ll be able to write a positive report on Kevin and thankfully he has a feeling that won’t be too hard. 


	6. 6

Joe walks down the sandy path with the wind in his dark hair and his girlfriend’s hand in his own. Joe’s brother, Nick walks a few paces behind them with his own girlfriend. The two brothers are on their way to their brother Kevin’s house.   
  
The young man can feel the salt of the ocean on his chapped lips and it takes him back to his childhood. All those days they spend on the beach, the three of them. These are the only happy memories Joe has of the village, but they are one of the most precious memories he has collected over the years. He had felt so free.   
  
“I’m really curious about the little boy,” Maddie says with a smile as she squeezes her boyfriend’s hand affectionately. The wind is playing with her brown locks and blows them in front of her face and into her eyes and mouth.   
  
“Me too. I can’t believe someone just abandons a child,” Joe says with a sigh as he shakes his head in disbelieve.   
  
Kevin had called his family living in the city only a day ago with the news that he had found a baby on the beach a week ago and that he was looking after him because his parents haven’t claimed him yet.   
  
At first Joe has though his brother had been joking, but after Kevin had convinced him he wasn’t, the disbelieve had been replaced with hurt. He had felt hurt because his brother had waited a week before telling Joe about the baby.   
  
But the younger brother had pushed the hurt aside at once as he realized it wasn’t his place to be hurt over Kevin not telling him about the baby. After all, he and Nick had parted ways with their brother in a most unpleasant way that had caused them to not speak to each other for a year.   
  
The three brothers had made up a year ago but Kevin still doesn’t completely allow his brothers back into his life and Joe can’t really blame him. He hasn’t completely forgiven himself either. Even though he had said those things because he loved his brother he knows he had hurt his brother real bad.   
  
After walking down the path for another three minutes the two couples arrive at Kevin’s small house. Due to the small size of the house it looks really cozy and Joe immediately understands why his brother bought this house. It has a nice feeling to it.   
  
Nick knocks on the door and when Kevin opens it the younger brother immediately envelops him in a hug. At first Kevin is too surprised to react, his eyes wide and his arms hanging limply by his side, but when he has recovered from the shock the oldest brother wraps his arms around his younger brother and says with a choked-up voice, “Thankfully I didn’t have the baby in my arms.”   
  
“Sorry,” Nick says with a small chuckle and hugs his brother even tighter “I just really missed you. It has been three months since we’ve last seen each other.”   
  
“It has been a long time,” Kevin agrees with a sigh and his eyes go to Joe with a silent invitation in them.   
  
Joe has difficulty swallowing when he walks to his brother, with tears brimming in the corners of his eyes. When Joe wraps his arms around both his brothers and lays his head on Kevin’s shoulder it feels like coming home. Joe and his brothers used to cuddle all the time, so Joe is used to being in his brothers’ arms. He had really missed hugging Kevin.   
  
“I think we better go inside,” Kevin says, his voice strained with emotions . “I can’t leave Dylan alone for too long.”   
  
The brothers let go of each other with identical sighs and after laughing about them they walk inside the house, Maddie and Nick’s girlfriend Danielle following them.   
  
The group of people are greeted with the sight of a young baby with big blue eyes, sitting on a high chair who’s starring at them with fearless and curious eyes. Joe has never seen a baby stare at someone in this way and it freaks him out a little, if he’s honest.   
  
“Joe, Nick, Maddie and Danielle, meet Dylan,” Kevin says with a big smile and a look of pride on his face while he walks towards the baby and takes him from the chair. “Dylan, meet your uncles and their girlfriends.” 

Joe feels his stomach drop when he hears his brother call him and Nick Dylan’s uncles. He can see Kevin has become quite enamored with the baby and Joe knows this isn’t a good development. What if the child’s parents suddenly show up and want their baby back? It would break his brother’s heart. 

But Joe doesn’t say anything, not wanting to spoil the mood or get into another fight with his brother. Not that it would matter anyway if he does say something, it’s already too late. The baby has already taken his brother’s heart. 

“He’s really cute,” Danielle says with a big grin and she takes its small left arm in her hands. The baby’s right hand grabs the index finger of the hand laying on his arm and he begins to coo in delight. Even Joe can’t suppress his smile that forms on his face at the sound. It really is an adorable sound. 

“Yes, he is,” Kevin says with a smile shining with pride but it disappears at once when he adds “ And I almost lost him.” 

“What do you mean” Joe says shocked and he walks up to his brother with worry in his eyes. 

“The villagers tried to get social services to take him because they thought I corrupted him,” Kevin says with sad eyes and walks backwards to his couch before carefully sitting down on it. “But Kyley warned me in time, so I had time to prepare.” 

“You didn’t know social services was coming?” Nick asks in astonishment as he sits down next to his brother, Joe following his example. Both Maddie and Danielle look at the oldest Jonas brother with sad eyes, both caring deeply for Kevin - they consider him their brother. 

“No, they thought I would manipulate the social worker into liking me,” Kevin says this with bitterness in his voice and Joe feels once again pure loathing for the villagers. Joe really doesn’t understand why Kevin has returned here. Kevin’s return to Ameland has been the reason why the three brothers had their big fight that had led to them not speaking to each other. 

“How did the meeting with the social worker go?” Nick asks anxiously as he sits closer to Kevin and lays a comforting hand on his shoulder. 

“Thankfully it went well” Kevin says as his smile returns to his face and he kisses the baby on his lap on its cheek. “The social worker was very impressed and has assured me he’s going to write a positive report.” 

“That’s good. That’s good” Nick says with a smile as he rubs his brother’s back soothingly. Nick might think it’s a good outcome, but Joe isn’t too sure. If Kevin spends more time with Dylan, the more he’ll get attached to the boy and all the more painful it’s going to be when Kevin has to let the baby go. He’ll be more then devastated when he has to give Dylan back to his parents. 


	7. 7

The living room is richly decorated with balloons and garlands, there are all kinds of food on the table and in the middle of it is a cake. It´s a white chocolate cake with a strawberry glazing. 

Kyley is playing with the baby sitting in the high-chair while Shelby is putting food for the little boy on a plate.   
  
Kevin had decorated the room and it had taken him all day, so his friend Shelby bought the food and the cake. His friend has visited him and the baby enough times to know that Dylan loves white chocolate so Kevin hadn´t been surprised when she brought the perfect cake. Even though Dylan will only get a few bites of the cake he´s going to enjoy all of them.   
  
The reason for this little party is Dylan´s first birthday. It’s true that Kevin doesn’t know the baby’s birthday, but that doesn’t mean he can’t celebrate it. Everybody should be able to celebrate their birthday, and his son is no exception. So he decided to celebrate Dylan’s on the day that Kevin had found him.   
  
A warmth spreads through his chest when he thinks about the fact that he has considered Dylan his son for quite a while now. It has been a year since the day that Kevin had found a baby on the beach and during that year the oldest Jonas has grown even more attached to the child.   
  
And two months ago Kevin has passed the point where he started to see the dark-haired boy as his son, as someone of his own flesh and blood.   
  
With a sigh the curly-haired man puts down the camera he has in his hands and walks up to the high-chair. Dylan’s focus immediately shifts from the brunette playing with his hands and making weird faces at him to the young man walking towards him.   
  
Kevin kneels down at his son’s chair with an adoring smile and looks the blue-eyed baby in the eyes and the baby stares back. Though the blue eyes shine with the same amazing intelligence that had been in his eyes that day on the beach, the oldest Jonas can tell that a year has passed by the child’s appearance.   
  
Dylan has grown taller and he has more meat on his bones. He had been skinny when Kevin had found him, not so skinny that indicated malnutrition, but it hadn’t been healthy either.   
  
Then there’s his hair. It had grown thicker and stronger, something that happens to all babies, Shelby had told him.   
  
“Hey buddy, how are you doing? Do you feel like a birthday boy?” Kevin asks and he ruffles his son’s hair.   
  
For the first time the house feels too empty for Kevin’s liking. He had always liked the solitude of the house. He never minded the fact that almost nobody visited him. With only Shelby coming every once in a while he didn’t mind it’s isolation.   
  
But now that he’s throwing a birthday party for his son the house is too empty, with only four people in it. Dylan deserves celebrating his first birthday with a lot of people. But Kevin’s younger brother’s didn’t have the time to visit him and their girlfriends didn’t have the money to take a plane, so only Shelby had come.   
  
When Kyley had brought him his bread this morning the new father decided to invite her too. Partly thanks to her he’s able to throw this party in the first place and she has always been nice to him, so it was only logical to invite her.   
  
The brunette had told him with a grin that she was happy to come but she had added with a frown that she wouldn’t be able to stay too long. Even though he had felt a little bit hurt he had told her he understood and that he didn’t want to make her life in the village difficult.   
  
Dylan looks at the brown-haired man with his big eyes and when Kevin’s hand leaves the top of his hand the child grabs it. Kevin eyes tear up and the girl next to him lets out a gasp when the baby places the hand over his heart.   
  
Kevin’s throat constricts when he feels the steady heartbeat under his palm and with tears of affection rolling down his cheeks he says with a surprisingly steady voice. “I’m going to adopt him. That way, nobody can take him away from me..”   
  
Although these words have come out of the blue and Kevin himself is surprised that he's said them out loud he doesn’t want to take them back, because what he said is true. It will break is heart if Dylan is taken away from him. He’s going to do anything in his power to stop that from happening.


	8. 8

Kevin his holding the hand of his son as the young boy takes a few hesitant steps. The young legs of the one-year-old are really wobble, so Kevin has a firm hold on his hand so Dylan won’t fall on his behind.   
  
There’s a warm grin on the young man’s face as the toddler coos in excitement with a big smile on his young face. It seems Dylan is enjoying walking just as much as his father is.   
  
Dylan is now officially Kevin’s son and the oldest Jonas couldn’t be any happier. Adopting this precious boy hadn’t been as difficult as he thought it would be. Nobody had claimed the baby for a year and the social worker Akos had given Kevin a good reference, so it hadn’t been too difficult for the state to grant the young Jonas parenthood over the little lost boy.   
  
Suddenly the dark-haired toddler speeds up his stride and Kevin needs to walk quicker if he wants to keep a hold on his son’s hand.   
  
“Aren’t you a little adventurer,” Kevin says with a chuckle even though he’s a little bit shaken from his son’s sudden increase in walking speed. He doesn’t dare to imagine what would have happened if he hadn’t reacted in time. Dylan would have probably fallen down and hurt himself.   
  
“Give Daddy a little warning next time,” Kevin says and he ruffles his son’s hair.   
  
Dylan just looks up at Kevin, smiling with dimples in his cheeks and Kevin’s heart melts. His son looks so adorable when he smiles. Kevin probably will never grow tired of seeing that smile. It makes everything look a little brighter.   
  
Suddenly the doorbells rings, letting Kevin know that his brothers and their girlfriends have arrived. With a happy sigh and a smile Kevin picks up his son and puts him on his hip.   
  
“Your uncles are here,” Kevin tells the little boy in his arms as he walks to the front door. “Do you like seeing your uncles?”   
  
Dylan answers with uttering a happy squeal and wiggles before laying his head on his father’s shoulder.   
  
“I’m glad you do,” Kevin says with a chuckle and he hoists his son higher on his hip before opening the door.   
  
As soon as Kevin opens the door a burst of air, even saltier than usual, blows into the house. The storm of last night apparently has blown closer to the coast than Kevin had predicted. He just hopes he isn’t losing his touch.   
  
“Hello everybody,” Kevin says with a smile and his eyes shine with the delight of seeing his brothers again.   
  
“Hey Kevin,” Joe says as he smiles back at his older brother before it turns into a straight line and remorse appears in his eyes. "We’re so sorry we couldn’t make it to Dylan’s birthday party. I hope you guys still had a lot of fun. ”   
  
“It was alright,” Kevin says with a slight shrug of his shoulder. It’s true the oldest brother had been mad at his brothers at the time, but at the moment he doesn’t want to talk about it. He’s in a far too good a mood to talk about it.   
  
“We’ve brought the little guy a present,” Maddie, who’s standing next to Joe, says and she bends down with an affectionate smile so she’s eye level to the boy in question. The brunette pulls a little present from behind her back and she shakes it so Dylan can hear it rattle. The present is wrapped in blue paper with teddy bears on it and a silver bow wrapped around it.   
  
Dylan’s hands reach for the present and Maddie lets go of it with a big smile. Kevin moves his hand to take the blue box from his son before he drops it but when he sees that the toddler’s grip on the gift is steady, he just let Dylan keep it.   
  
“Well, why don’t you all come in guys,” Kevin says and he steps aside so the people can walk inside.   
  
It is when they walk into the house that Kevin discovers that all his brothers have come. He can’t hide his surprise when the youngest brother Frankie walks by him. Frankie probably stood behind Nick and Danielle.   
  
Frankie has really grown the last time Kevin saw him, almost two years ago. He has grown taller and has a mature look about him. It feels good to see him like this, but it also hurts. It hurts because it reminds him how little he sees of Frankie.   
  
“Hey Kevin,” Frankie mutters almost incoherently and after sending his older brother a quick, small smile the youngest Jonas quickly joins his brothers in the living room.

Kevin closes his eyes and takes a deep breath in an effort not to cry. Frankie’s behavior has really gotten to his older brother. It’s clear Frankie is still mad at Kevin for something. The older brother doesn’t know if it’s because the fight he had with Joe and Nick or because Kevin hasn’t talked to Frankie in months and never invited him to the house, unlike Joe and Nick. Frankie probably thinks Kevin loves him less then he loves Nick and Joe.   
  
“If he only knew,” Kevin whispers against the top of his son’s head. “If he only knew I’m doing this because I love him.” 


	9. 9

The sun is just peeking over the horizon as the father and his child walk onto the beach, the child’s hand held tightly in the father’s hand as if he’s afraid his son will escape his grip and run to the ocean.   
  
There’s a soft ocean breeze that ruffles the father’s curls and it tells him when it blows over his skin that the summer isn’t too far away. The older male can tell by the temperature of the wind that it’s only a matter of days.   
  
“Are you look forward to helping daddy?” the father asks as he crouches down so he’s eyelevel with his son. The father’s hand has let go of his son’s hand and both his hands are now holding the little boy by his hips.   
  
Dylan only stares at his father and grabs one of his dad’s stray curls that’s hanging in front of his hazel eyes. The father lets out a sigh as his son begins to play with the hair.   
  
The father has always wanted children but he has never found someone to start a family with. He used to be married, but his ex-wife didn’t want children. That’s one of the reasons they broke-up.   
  
The young boy’s second birthday has passed but he still isn’t talking and his dad is worried. And so are the people dear to him. His friend, who has a lot of knowledge about children has told him it’s very unusual for a child of two years old not to be able to talk and that it isn’t a good sign.   
  
The dad had been afraid it might have something to do with something that happened to his son in the past, so he went to a child psychologist in the big city, but the psychologist couldn’t find something wrong with the boy.   
  
The father seems to forget his worry for a moment when his son makes an happy noise and throws his little arms around his father’s neck.   
  
The father can’t fight the tears from slowly making their way down his cheeks when he feels the fragile body of his son being pressed against his own. It is as if Dylan tries to let his dad know how much he likes to be here with his dad with this hug.   
  
“It’s alright,” the father says with an adoring smile as he returns his son’s hug. “You’re daddy knows you’re happy to help him. You have been your daddy’s little helper ever since you could walk.”   
  
Dylan’s father had been really surprised the first time it happened. Dylan had decided one day to help his father with the dishes instead of playing with his Lego. His father had told him it wasn’t necessary and that he could play with his toys if he wanted to. But because Dylan kept insisting by coming back every night and picking up a plate before his father would tell him to play with his toys, the father had given up and had let Dylan help him.   
  
Dylan let’s go of his father and to his father’s great horror begins to run to the ocean. The father runs up to him at once and grabs his son by the shoulder before turning him around.   
  
“What did I tell you Dylan,” Kevin says as he looks at his son sternly. “Don’t go running towards the ocean without daddy holding your hand. The ocean is really dangerous, Dyl. Never forget that.”   
  
Dylan only nods before a smile breaks out on his face. The father doesn’t really know what to do with this reaction. On the one hand he’s relieved that his lightly raised voice hasn’t made Dylan cry, but on the other hand because his son has this reaction he isn’t sure he’s paying attention to what his dad is saying.   
  
“Do you understand what I’m saying” the father asks as he looks his son deep in the eyes, in the hope that it’ll make the boy pay attention to what he’s saying.   
  
The smile disappears from Dylan’s child-round face and with a grave look on his face he nods again. As if to emphasize that he understands the young boy takes a hold on his father’s hand and smiles up at him. The father’s heart melts at the sight.   
  
“Okay then,” Kevin says with a lump in his throat and he squeezes his son’s hand affectionately. “Let’s find out if something valuable has washed-up on the shore today.” 


	10. 10

Kevin and Shelby are walking on the beach, Dylan walking in between them with both his hands being held by the two friends. He has a smile on his face and his blue eyes shine with mirth. 

“I can’t believe he’s already two years old” Kevin says while he attempts to swallow the lump in his throat. 

Time has flown by but not a lot has changed. Kevin is still treated by the villagers in as they did a year ago, his brothers still visit him once a month and Shelby still drops by every week. 

What has changed however is that Kevin has started visiting his parents again. Like his brothers they live in the big city and he used to visit them every once in a while. But he had stopped doing that when he found Dylan. 

He had been afraid of how they might feel about the fact that he had adopted a baby he had found on the beach. Joe and Nick, however had told him that at first, yes they had been shocked, but they hadn’t been surprised. They always knew their son was a good Christian and kind at heart, so it wasn’t something that they never knew he would do. So Kevin had agreed to visit again. 

“Yes, time can sometimes fly,” Shelby says with a sigh and she closes her eyes at the feeling of the salty air caressing her face. 

“And still he hasn’t said a word,” Kevin says and he looks down at his son with a frown on his face. 

“Hey, Kev. Could it be that he’s mute?” Shelby asks carefully and she looks at her friend’s face, watching it for a reaction. 

“I really don’t know,” Kevin says desperately and he looks at the blond with sad eyes. “And it kills me.” 

Because his mind is in such turmoil at the moment and the winds suddenly picks up Kevin misses the soft voice coming from between him and Shelby, but Shelby doesn’t. 

The blond drops to her knees and says with a shriek of excitement, “What did you say Dylan? What did you say?” 

“Shelby, what…” Kevin says with indignant voice but he’s rendered speechless when his son says with a big smile and twinkling eyes, “ocean.” 

It feels as if Kevin’s heart has burst out of his chest at the sound of his son’s voice. It’s so fragile and high, unlike anything Kevin has ever heard. Maybe all babies have the same kind of voice as Dylan, but to Kevin his voice is a one-of-a-kind. 

The proud father falls to his knees and takes his son into a hug while tears of happiness are flowing down his cheeks. 

“Son, I’m so proud of you,” Kevin whispers in his son’s ear, his voice thick with emotions. 

“You had us worried, buddy,” Shelby says with a chuckle while she wipes tears from the corner of her eyes. 

“Well, we don’t have to worry anymore, now, do we?” Kevin says as he pulls out from the hug with a smile and sweeps a finger over Dylan’s chin in an affectionate gesture. 

Dylan just chuckles and grabs his father’s hand. The young boy begins to pull his father to the ocean while he keeps repeating his first word. Never before has a word sounded so beautiful in Kevin’s ears.


	11. 11

Kevin walks down the beach with a smile on his face that used to never be there but has been appearing on his face more often now.

The young man is much happier now than he was a year ago. A year ago a lot of things were still fragile and unsure but within a year all those things have come more solid.

Kevin’s relationship with his parents is better than it was a year ago. At first he hadn’t been sure how they would react when they saw Dylan but thankfully his brothers had been right when they told him Denise and Paul would love the little guy.

The relationship with his brothers is better too. Their older brother can feel he’s slowly tearing the wall surrounding is heart down brick-by-brick. Kevin doesn’t know if it’s because being a father is changing him or because the wall is too old to maintain. Whatever the reason, he’s slowly letting his brothers back into his heart.

And because he’s doing this, he feels a little less lonely. It’s true that Kevin already has his friend Shelby and his son to make that loneliness go away, but there are some things only his brothers can understand and it feels good being able to share that with them again.

Kevin must shield his eyes from the summer sun when he looks at the little boy running up and down the coast line while he shouts all kinds of things to the wind. His vocabulary has immensely grown since he said his first word a year ago.

The wind tugs at his caramel curls when his heart constricts as he watches his son run towards him with open arms. Even though he knows it’s for the best that he doesn’t keep Dylan next to him at all times it still pains him to see his son play and run a few feet away from him.

“Daddy, daddy. Did you see that seagull,” the dark-haired boy asks as he claps his hands in delight and Kevin can feel an intense affection spread through his body when he sees the twinkle in his son’s eyes.

“No, I didn’t buddy.” Kevin leans forward so he’s level with his son and ruffles his hair affectionately. Dylan’s hair has grown rapidly over the past year.

“He had a really big fish in his beak,” Dylan says and he indicates with his little hands just how big the fish was with big and earnest eyes.

“That really _is_ a big fish,” Kevin says in surprise that makes his son snicker. It really is a precious sound that the young man will never tire of hearing.

“He must have stolen it from one of the boats or something,” the three-year-old says with a serious look on his face and a serious tone that make Kevin’s heart melt from the adorableness of it.

Dylan runs to the coastline again and peers over the vast grey, wet mass that is the ocean. He has his legs wide and his whole posture shows his determination. But what he’s determined about Kevin doesn’t know.

The water of the ocean suddenly creeps onto the beach and makes its way to Dylan. A frown appears on Kevin’s face when his son doesn’t run away from the cold water but stays where he’s standing. If there’s one thing Kevin remembers from the time he and his brothers played on the beach of Ameland is that they were scared of the cold water and stayed away from it as much as possible. But Dylan doesn’t seem to have this fear.

Kevin quickly stands up from where he’s sitting in the rough sand and he walks towards his son with hurried steps. For some reason Dylan’s behavior scares him. It scares him because it is not normal and it reminds the scared father that Dylan is different than other people. And in the back of his head there’s also the fear that reminds him that Dylan isn’t his.

“Come on buddy, we’re going home,” Kevin says in a strained voice and he pulls his son away from the water.

“Do we really have to?” Dylan asks with a pout, but he doesn’t fight his father’s hand that is pulling him away.

“Yes. It’s already late and I have to make dinner because Aunty Shelby is coming over in a few hours.”

“Aunty Shelby is coming?” Dylan’s pout changes into a big smile. He’s really fond of his father’s best friend and it isn’t only because she always brings him presents.

“Yes, she is.” The smile has returned to Kevin’s face again, all to glad to forget about what had just happened a few moments ago. He just hopes something like this won’t happen again.

But even though he hopes this he knows in his heart of hearts the truth. He knows that his son is different so he will behave differently. And even deeper down, buried so he can’t feel it, he knows his son doesn’t belong to him. Dylan belongs to the ocean and it will claim him again in the end.


	12. 12

A soft summer breeze coming in from the sea blows through the hairs of a four-year-old sitting on the beach. In front of the boy is a castle of sand, he has been building on it for the past three hours and he’s really proud of it.

The young boy had started on the castle at midnight and it is starting to look really good. Even though he has only slept four hours Dylan doesn’t feel tired at all. He’s never tired when he’s near the ocean.

The dark-haired boy picks up the shell lying next to him and puts it on one of the towers of the castle. The castle has five towers and Dylan wants on all of them the same kind of shell. These shells look pretty and he wants his castle to look pretty.

When Dylan is content with how the shell looks, laying on the top of the tower he stands up from his sitting position and walks to the dune where he had found the shell a few minutes ago.

The young boy searches the dune and after a while he has found three shells that look almost identical to the shells already on his castle. Dylan had discovered this precious dune when he and his dad went combing yesterday.

The boys skips to his castle and when he has reached it he plumps down ungracefully and with a big ‘umph’. The little man ignores the throbbing of his rear as he puts the new shells on his castle with shiny eyes of joy.

Dylan claps his hands as his eyes gobble in the sight of the castle of sand in front of him. This really is one of his better ones, and that says a lot. His whole face is shining with glee and he nods his head. Yep, this is the best one yet.

The young boy stands up and takes a few steps back. His father had told Dylan many times that to really appreciate a work of art you need to take a few steps back. And just like always his dad had been right.

The four-year-old is now standing ten steps away from the castle and there is a gigantic grin on his face. The castle looks even better from afar. He has really outdone himself.

But the smile turns into a look of horror as suddenly the sea decides it wants Dylan’s castle for itself. Normally he loves the sea, but this just won’t do.

Dylan begins to run and tries to reach his castle sooner than the sea. He doesn’t know what he’ll do if he arrives at the castle in time, he’s acting all on instinct now, but he know he has to do something. He hasn’t worked on the castle for three hours straight to have it destroyed in only three seconds.

The young boy reaches the castle of sand in time and he runs to the front of the castle as if he wants to shield his work of art from the water.

Suddenly Dylan can feel something stir in his stomach and he feels something cold and warm at the same time make its way through his lunges. Before his head can get in the way, his mouth opens itself and a scream rips from his lunges.

His body moves at his own accord when his eyes begin to stare the wave rolling over the beach down and his hand moves in front of the young boy in a halting gesture.

And just as he thought, the sea starts to retreat. Even though Dylan hates to remind the sea who’s boss sometimes it’s necessary.

Dylan doesn’t let up until the wave is safely back with the sea. When he’s sure it’s safe he lowers his hand and stops screaming. The young boy closes his eyes and takes a few deep breaths. Even though he’s powerful, he’s also young so doing this has drained him.

Normally Dylan would sit down now so he can recover from this power drain, but he has to get back to his house now. His father doesn’t know he’s out on the beach, all on his own, so he needs to be home before his father discovers he’s gone. Dylan would hate for his father to worry about him.

So Dylan takes another deep breath and begins to make his way to his house. Maybe he’ll be able to recharge like a normal human being, by going to sleep.


	13. 13

The moment Kevin wakes up he knows something is wrong. He has a feeling of dread boiling in his stomach, a dread he has never felt before. It makes his heartbeat and breath quicken and in the blink of an eye he’s beside the bed.

Kevin’s room is pitch-black, so he trips a couple of times before he has made it to the door. When he has made it safely to the corridor he makes his way to his son’s room, carefully letting his hands show him the way, not wanting to turn on the lights and disturb his sleeping son.

When he has finally made it to the third room on the floor Kevin, as silently as possible, opens the door and peaks his head inside. He’s greeted with a sight that takes all the air out of his lunges.

The bed where Dylan is supposed to be asleep in right now is empty. And what makes matters even worse, it appears Dylan hasn’t slept in it at all tonight.

Kevin quickly switches on the light, hoping he has missed his son’s head on the pillow because of the dark, but he doesn’t have such luck. The bed remains empty.

The dread that had been in his stomach has no changed into full-blown panic and it has made its way to his throat.

Kevin turns around in a flash and bolts out of his son’s room. While he runs down the stairs he keeps saying to himself, “How could I be so stupid not to check on him for a second time. If I lose him I will never forgive myself.”

Kevin runs out of the house and onto the beach without bothering to close the door. He has more important things on his mind at the moment.

The young father runs between the dunes and onto the stretch of sand that separates the sea from the land. He scans the beach for his son, but the five-year-old is nowhere to be found. All Kevin sees are long stretches of sand and rocks dividing them.

But Kevin isn’t ready to just give up, so he begins to makes his way over to the first row of rocks, planning on jumping over them to look behind them but he stops dead in his track when he hears a scream. A scream that is beautiful, but at the same time causes his blood to run cold.

Afraid that whoever is screaming that scream has his son Kevin jumps over the row of rocks with an agility he never knew he possessed and screams his son’s name, not caring that the whole village might hear him.

There is no reaction to Kevin’s call and it makes the younger father fear the worst. What if he’s too late? What if Dylan is dead and that’s why he isn’t answering his father’s call?

Kevin jumps over another pair of rocks and moves to run to the next one but then he freezes because he catches movement from the corner of his eyes. He snaps his head towards the shoreline where he saw the movement and his fear turns into utter joy when he sees his son standing in front of the sea. It seems there is nothing wrong with him.

“Dylan,” Kevin yells with tears of joy running down his cheeks but he is cut off when suddenly the screaming begins again.

The blind panic that suddenly takes over knocks all the sense out of the young father and without thinking clearly he runs to his son, fearing the being emitting those scream is coming straight for Dylan. If he had been thinking clearly he would have discovered that it was his son producing those screams.

Kevin sinks down on his knees in front of his son and he almost falls on his back in shock when he suddenly realizes it’s his son producing those screams. Screams that almost don’t sound human.

“Dylan, what are you doing?” Kevin asks in a terrified voice and he takes a hold of his son’s arms.

It is as if the boy snaps out of a trance at his father’s touch as his glazed eyes become focused again and he stops screaming.

“I was only playing around,” Dylan says with a shrug of his shoulders as if he thinks it’s a normal thing to scream at the ocean in the middle of the night, but Kevin can tell by glint of shame in his son’s eyes that he feels busted, that he knows he’s in the wrong.

“You really shouldn’t scream like that, especially not at night,” Kevin says with a shake of his head before enveloping his son into a tight hug. “Don’t you ever run away in the middle of the night. I was so worried.”

Even though Kevin is shaken from the fact that his son can produce the sounds he just heard, it is overridden by the intense relief that he fells now Dylan is safely back into his arms. It makes all the other feelings go away, even the anger he feels towards his son for sneaking out of the house.

But if he had looked up and if his eyes would have fallen on one of the dunes lining the beach his relief would have cracked and a bad feeling would have crept in. Because on that dune stood a lone figure, a female and she had wide, scared eyes.

The figure quickly draws a cross on her chest before whispering in horror, “Devil.”

There is no way the mayor can dismiss this!


	14. Chapter 14

Christine must restrain herself from yelling for order over the noise produced by the people who are standing in her office and are all speaking at the same time. It’s very much like the first time the mayor and the villagers had discussed Kevin and his son a few years back, only this time there are even more of them, even the parish priest has come.

Jeannie and Claudia had come into the office this morning flanked by Kirtsy and Katie, the priest trailing behind them. Jeannie had been furious and hadn’t beaten around the bush.

The young mother had slapped her hand on the wooden desk, much to Christine’s shock and she had demanded with a raised voice that if Christine was a good Christian she would take Dylan away from Kevin and send the boy as far away from the city as possible.

The mayor had been so shocked that she had forgotten all decorum and had asked in horror what could have happened to cause Jeannie to make such an outlandish request.

The still angry brunette had opened her mouth to answer Christine’s question when the door had opened for a second time and almost half of the village had walked in.

Christine still hasn’t heard Jeannie’s story and while she looks at the animated and scared faces the blond knows she’s not going to like what Jeannie’s going to tell her. At times like this Christine doesn’t understand why she had run for mayor a second time.

But almost immediately she always realizes again why she did. She did it because of Kevin and his son. Christine is one of the few people in the village who doesn’t feel animosity towards the single father, so if somebody else than her would have become the mayor Kevin’s life most likely would have become ever more unbearable.

“Okay, people. People!” Kirsty’s voice suddenly sounds over the noise filling the large room and everybody stops talking at once. Apparently there is no need for Christine to yell for order.

“It doesn’t help us if we are all talking at once,” Kirsty says as every head turns towards her. “We can’t do anything without the help of the mayor and the mayor doesn’t know what’s going on.”

“No, I don’t,” Christine says as she stands up from her chair with what she hopes is an air of dignity. “I would appreciate it if someone would care to inform me what’s going on.”

“We have a demon in our midst,” a girl suddenly says with a raised voice and all heads turn to her. The girl who has spoken is recognizable at once with her brown hair, eyes that resemble melted chocolate and her olive-brown skin that you don’t expect an inhabitant of Ameland to have. She’s the pastor’s daughter and the most pious female of the village. She even eclipses her mother in that aspect.

“A demon?” Christine asks with surprise in her voice as she tries to understand how they are now talking about demons when the mayor had understood from Jeannie that this was about Kevin’s son.

“Yes, a demon,” Katie says with narrowed eyes and she walks through the throng of people to the mayor’s desk. “That creature that Kevin Jonas found and now calls his son isn’t a human being. It’s a demon.”

“That’s enough” Christine suddenly yells, even surprising herself. “I won’t have any of that. Dylan Jonas is not a demon and even if he was I won’t send him away because of it.”

“How can you say that,” Katie says angrily and she looks at the woman in front of her with disgust. “I have seen him use his powers with my own eyes. I heard him call for his fellow demons to help him tear down our village with my own ears.”

“I don’t care what you saw,” Christine yells in anger and she slaps her desk with her balled fist. “We live in a country with a separation between religion and state so I won’t take action against a young boy because people think he’s a demon.”

Christine knows she has just terminated her second term as the mayor of Ameland by her own hand but she doesn’t care. This is bigger than herself. This is about Kevin and the villagers. The villagers must be shaken awake from their hatred for the once lonely father. They have to realise they have no need, no right to hate Kevin. He’s not that different from them, and they really need to realize that.

t to hate Kevin. He’s not that different from them, and they really need to realize that.


	15. 15

“They think Dylan is what?” Joe asks with a moth hanging open.

Kevin has just told his brothers about the mayor visit and that she told him that the people of the village think his son is a servant of the devil.

“I can’t believe they would think that of Dylan. He’s such a sweet kid,” Nick says as he shakes his head in astonishment.

“Yeah he is, but the problem is they don’t know him. They don’t know what kind of kid he is,” Kevin says with a sigh and he runs a hand through is hair.

He hasn’t told his brother or Shelby for that matter about what had happened at the beach two days ago and he’s not planning on telling them any time soon, if ever. It isn’t the fact that he’s afraid they won’t believe him, it’s that he’s afraid they will.

“Was Dylan there when the mayor told you?” Joe asks with a look of concern on his face.

“No, thank God he was asleep at the time.” Kevin takes a deep breath and closes his eyes in an attempt to fight the tears in his eyes.

“Kevin, I think you should come with us to Middelburg. This is no place for you and Dylan.” Kevin can feel his brother’s hand on his knee as he opens his eyes to look at said brother.

“I would go to the city if that would help, notwithstanding my own feelings, but I don’t think that would solve anything.” Despite his effort a lonely tear makes its way down Kevin’s cheek. “Everywhere we go we’ll be outsiders.”

“But you’ll have your family around you,” Joe says as emotions get a hold of his voice too.

“I don’t think it’d be a good idea for me and Dylan to be depended on other people,” Kevin says as he shakes his head. “Besides, this is Dylan’s home. I don’t want to take him away from it.”

Before Joe can react to this the back door opens and Shelby and Dylan walk into the house. Shelby has one of Dylan’s hand in hers but in the other he has three shells. Dylan has been a fervent shell collector for one year now and his bedroom is littered with shells in all shape and sizes that he has found on the beach.

“It really is the most beautiful weather,” Shelby says with a big grin as she lets go of Dylan’s hand. “Go on Dylan, show daddy the shells you found.”

Shelby had been here this morning, when Nick’s brothers dropped by announced and she had proposed to take Dylan out on the beach when she had sensed that Kevin needed to talk with his brothers alone. The blond has always been able to read Kevin like a book.

“Daddy, I got three shells,” Dylan says with a big grin and he runs to his dad who catches him and puts him down on his lap.

“Did you find any pink ones?” Kevin asks with a smile effected by his dried tears and he gives his son a kiss on his forehead with his eyes closed. “I know you like the pink ones.”

“No, I didn’t find pink ones,” Dylan says and he shrugs his shoulder, reminding Kevin once again how mature for his age his son is. Normal five-year-olds would probably pout about not finding the shells they wanted. “But I got white ones.”

With a look of pride Dylan shows his father the smooth, white shell that he has found and it causes a genuine smile to appear on Kevin’s face.

“It’s really beautiful,” Kevin says as he looks at the shell held in front of his face by his son. “It seems you have the same eye as your father when it comes to precious things. You’re gonna make a really good jutter when you grow up.”


	16. 16

“Dylan, what do you want to eat today?” Kevin asks with a smile on his face while he walks into the living room, wiping his sandy hands on his trousers. He has just come back from putting all the stuff he found on the beach today in his shack.

When Kevin’s eyes find his son sitting on a chair with a miserable look on his face Kevin’s smile falls. He walks to the chair his son is sitting on and stands behind it.

“How was your day today?” Kevin asks softly as he lays his hands on his son’s shoulder. Dylan doesn’t try to shrug them off, instead his shoulder sags.

“It was alright,” Dylan says with a sigh. “But I miss the ocean. And it misses me.”

“I’m really sorry honey but you know why you can’t go to the ocean,” Kevin says sternly yet softly and he kneels down at Dylan’s side so he can look his son in the eyes. The bright blue eyes are filled with sadness.

“I know I know,” Dylan’s eyes drop to his lap and a lonely tear makes its way down his cheek. “But it feels like a piece of me is missing.”

“I’m so sorry,” Kevin says while his voice breaks and he envelops his son in a hug. “I’m so sorry.”

That night Kevin and Dylan eat salmon with fries, Dylan’s favorite and after the meal they settle in front of the television and watch a documentary on marine life.

Dylan’s head is leaning on his father’s shoulder and Kevin has an arm wrapped around his son when Kevin decides he needs to call Shelby. She’s level-headed and knows enough about children and Dylan to know what Kevin is doing is the right thing or not. He really needs her opinion.

“I’m sorry little soldier, but Daddy needs to call Auntie Shelby so he needs to move,” Kevin says with an affectionate voice and he plants a kiss on the top of Dylan’s head.

“Do I need to pause it?” Dylan asks as he moves so his father can get up from the couch. Kevin’s heart constricts painfully as he hears the sadness that Dylan is still feeling through his voice. 

“Not, it’s alright. That’s not necessary. You continue watching,” Kevin says with a weak smile and he stands up from the couch.

Luckily, Kevin doesn’t have to wait long for Shelby to pick up the phone. It is as if she knows he needs her.

“Hey Kevin,” Shelby says with a perky voice. Maybe she hadn’t known. “How are you and Dylan doing?”

“Not that good,” Kevin says with a sigh and he can feel the tears well up in his eyes. “That’s why I’m calling.”

“Kevin, what’s wrong?” Shelby asks worriedly.

“It’s Dylan,” Kevin squeezes his eyes shut to keep the tears inside his eyes. “I’ve forbidden him to go to the ocean and it’s making him miserable.”

“This is because of his nightly sleepwalks to the beach isn’t it,” Shelby asks.

“Yes it is. He sleepwalked to the beach and yelled at the ocean. Almost every night, I had to drag him from the beach while one or two villagers were watching.” Kevin really needs Shelby to understand where he is coming from.

“And does it help, keeping him away from the ocean?” Kevin doesn’t hear reproach in her voice. She just wants to know.

“Yes, it helps, but it makes him so unhappy.” Kevin is leaning against the wall. He runs his hand over his face, smearing the salty tears over his face. “I don’t know what to do.”


	17. 17

“Dylan, why haven’t you solved any of the equations?” Kevin says sharply both hands on his hips. The young father tries his best remain calm, knowing getting angry won’t help him with getting through to his son.

“I don’t know dad,” Dylan says with a sigh and he lays his head in his hands. He looks like a defeated man and it immediately takes Kevin’s anger away,

“Is there something about the equation you don’t understand?” Kevin says with a soft voice and he sits down besides his six-year-old son.

Today they have started with multiplying and with the four hours Kevin had put into explaining it to his son he had thought that Dylan had understood it. He had asked his son if he had any questions but he said he didn’t.

“You don’t have to be ashamed if you still don’t get it,” Kevin says with a smile and he lays a comforting hand on his son’s arm.

“It’s not that I don’t understand it,” Dylan says with a sigh and when he lifts his head from his hands he looks at his father with an apologetic look. “It’s just that I can’t concentrate.”

“Why’s that?” Kevin asks with his brow furrowed in confusion.

“I don’t know” Dylan lifts his shoulder in a helpless gesture. “I keep zoning out.”

Kevin has stopped talking to Dylan like he’s a normal six-year-old only a short while ago. When he had heard his son say words like zooning-out he had realized it was better for him to talk to Dylan like someone twice his age. He doesn’t want Dylan to think his father thinks he isn’t smart because he talks to him like to the little boy he is.

Kevin has been teaching Dylan for over a year now. It has been clear from the beginning Dylan couldn’t go to the school in the village and because Kevin doesn’t want his son to take the train to the city the only option that had remained was Dylan being home-schooled.

“I keep thinking about the sea,” Dylan says and he closes his eyes, as if he listens to the sea calling him. “I keep feeling the draw of the sea.”

“Do you think it would help if you made the equations on the beach?” Kevin says with a sigh as he feels sadness grab him by the throat.

After he had talked with Shelby almost a year ago he had decided he didn’t want his son to be unhappy any more so he had given Dylan permission to go to the beach and the sea again.

Of course, his son’s nocturnal visits to the beach continued but unlike Kevin had feared they didn’t take place every night. Instead the followed a strict pattern that Kevin, having lived with the ocean almost all his life, hadn’t had too much difficulty discovering. He only went to the beach during falling tide.

“If you don’t mind I think it would help,” Dylan says with badly disguised longing. At times like this, when Dylan wears his feelings on his sleeves, he changes into the six-year-old he is again.

“It’s alright,” Kevin says with a smile. “I will drop by in half an hour to check-up on you.”

“Thank you dad,” Dylan says with a grin and he hopes from his chair. On his bare feet he runs to the backdoor and the noise they make pulls on Kevin’s heartstrings.

One night Kevin followed his son to the beach and had stood on a safe distant to look at what exactly his son did on those nights. And the answer had scared and saddened him.

Because what his son did was something he had never seen before. Dylan had emitted a high-pitched scream that had scared and captivated him at the same time and the sea had retreated like it had been scared of his son. It was as if Dylan controlled the ocean.

The next day he had decided after a restless night with no sleep he didn’t care if his son had a strange connection with the sea. He doesn’t want to be scared of his own son. He wouldn’t be any better than the villagers if he treated his son with fear because he had something Kevin didn’t understand. But the sadness still remained because he knew not all people are so understanding as he is.

With a tear running down his cheek Kevin looks at his son as the six-year-old closes the door behind himself.


	18. 18

Dylan runs to the door when the doorbell rings. The seven-year-old had been so excited for his uncles’ visit all day, especially when he heard that his uncle Frankie would come along to. He never comes to visit.

Kevin is less excited about Frankie coming. And he had told his brothers so when they told him that their youngest brother would come along when they would visit next. But his brothers would have none of it.

They had told him he owed Frankie an explanation as to why Kevin doesn’t want him to come to Ameland. Even though Frankie might tell them otherwise, Joe and Nick can see it’s eating at Frankie. And Kevin had caved in because he knew they were right.

Kevin walks to the door too while his son opens it. Dylan has really grown, Kevin can still remember the time when his son needed to stand on tip-toes to reach the door handle. How times fly by.

“I was just about the serve some tea,” Kevin says with a smile as his three brothers walk into the house. “Would you guys like some?”

“We would love some,” Joe says with a smile and he puts his coat on the rack. “Do you still have that rose tea?”

“Yes, Shelby brought a whole stack of it yesterday,” Kevin says with a chuckle as the image of Shelby with her arms full of tea boxes pops up in his head. It’s still a mystery to him how she had walked from the train station without dropping them.

“Good, good,” Joe says and he pats his brother on the shoulder before he walks towards the kitchen. “Me and Nick are going to make the tea together with Dylan while you and Frankie talk.”

Kevin opens his mouth to protest but he realizes he can’t do so without hurting Frankie’s feelings. And he knows Joe knows this all too well. Joe has always been a king at these kind of things.

“Frankie, do you mind if we walk on the beach while we talk?” Kevin asks with a small smile as he turns to his younger brother. “I can think better in the open air.”

“I don’t mind,” Frankie says with a shrug of his shoulders.

Apparently his younger brother doesn’t like this conversation as much as he does but instead of making him more at ease Kevin can feel an immense sadness spread though his body. Because it causes him to realize how much he has hurt his little brother.

Three minutes later the two brothers are walking on the beach as the sun is slowly sinking behind the horizon. Normally Nick and Joe drop by around three but because Maddie and Joe had been so busy with planning the wedding today that they were only able to come by at five o’clock.

“I know you don’t like it that I don’t invite you to visit me.” Kevin says as his eyes are on the sand in front of his feet. He knows he should be looking at Frankie right now but Kevin can’t get himself to do so. He’s afraid of the hurt he knows he will see in his brother’s eyes. “But you have to know it isn’t because I don’t love you.”

“Why is it then? It isn’t as if I don’t know how horrible the people of the village are.” Kevin can hear both hurt and irritation in his brother’s voice.

Frankie was born when the Jonas family was already living in the big city, so he hadn’t experienced the cruelty of the villagers but because he kept asking why they had left Ameland they had finally told him the truth.

Kevin stops walking and with a deep sigh he looks up and into his brother’s eyes. Just like he thought, hurt is plainly visible in his eyes. “It’s because I love you.”

Kevin can feel tears in the corner of his eyes but he fights them back with all he has. He doesn’t want to cry right now. He doesn’t want Frankie to see that he’s weak.

“I don’t understand,” Frankie says with a confused look on his face.

“It’d because I don’t want you to think less of me,” Kevin says as he swallows his tears. “You have always looked up at me and it may seem selfish but I don’t want you to stop doing that because of how the villagers are treating me.”

“Kevin, you’re my brother,” the eighteen-year-old says with a shocked voice. “Of course I won’t think less of you. No matter how other people treat you. Only something you yourself do influences how I think of you.”

“Don’t you think it’s weak of me that I moved back here?” It’s out before Kevin can stop himself.

“Of course not!” Frankie says with a raised voice and he takes a step closer to his older brother. He takes a hold of his older brother upper arms with both hands before he says, “Even though I don’t understand why you moved back I don’t think you’re weak. On the contrary, I think you’re strong.”

At the last words Kevin can’t hold back his tears anymore and he collapse into his brother’s arms as sobs rock his body.


	19. 19

For the old among us seven years goes by far too fast and before they know it they´re seven years older as are their kids. But for the young among us seven years can’t go by fast enough. For some of them seven years may be the difference of being able to do what they always wanted or not.

Seven years have passed since Kevin and Frankie talked things out on the beach and the younger brother had come by every year to visit his nephew together with his brothers and later with his girlfriend Gabrielle.

Six years has passed since Joe and Maddie have gotten married. It had been a beach wedding and Kevin had been his brother´s best man. Dylan had been the ring bearer and Denise hadn´t been able to stop gushing about how cute her eight-year-old grandson looked in his tuxedo.

Three years have passed since Kevin´s parents and Dylan´s grandparents decided to leave behind the grudges they held against Ameland and began visiting their son and grandchild.

During these seven years Dylan has grown from a cute youth to a striking lad, his eyes still as blue as the ocean and his hair as black as the black basalt blocks that make up the piers. It constantly reminds Kevin of where his son comes from.

Not only has his body had grown, but his mind too. It had grown at the same pace as his body, from the mind of a fourteen-year-old to one of twenty-one. Many rainy days had been spent talking about the meaning of life or one of the other heavy subjects.

It has been three years since the last time that Dylan has his nightly walks to the beach and the people from the village have finally stopped talking about it two years ago. They still act hostile towards Kevin and Dylan but they have stopped acting scared around them.

Two years have passed since Kyley and Kevin have started dating. It had been Shelby’s idea after having seen how close the two friends had grown. At first Kevin had asked his twelve-year-old son if he minded if his father started dating again. Dylan had said with a warm smile on his face “I only want to see you happy, dad.” Kevin had gone on a date with Kyley two days later.

Kevin can look back at the seven years that have passed with fondness, even though there have been some sad times too. It’s true that the times that he was forced to go to the village have been as awful as the years before but now he has people who are there for him and a wonderful son to return home to. He just hopes he’s happiness won’t be over soon.


End file.
